Location: Madison, Wis.
Nickname: Badgers.
2008 Countdown ranking: No. 14.
What I said in last year’s preview:
And it’s a good thing the team plays so well at Camp Randall, as the season will rest upon how well the Badgers perform against O.S.U., Penn State and Illinois in that four-week stretch in October. If Wisconsin goes 3-0, I can realistically see this team playing for the national championship – go ahead, scoff if you’d like. However, it is more realistic to give the Badgers a 2-1 or 1-2 mark, with a likely loss to Ohio State; in that case, I see Wisconsin finishing the season at 9-3, second in the Big Ten. Like I said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Badgers make a push for a B.C.S. appearance, especially if their home-field advantage holds true for another season.
Postseason re-ranking: No. 50.
2008 record and recap: (7-6, 3-5). The Badgers got off to a 3-0 start, culminating in a hard-fought road win at Fresno State, then ranked No. 21 in the nation. Wisconsin itself was No. 9 after that victory but the season quickly went sour. Begin with a loss to miserable Michigan, the low point of the Bret Bielema era at Wisconsin. The Wolverines, as we know, won only three games on the season. Continue with a narrow home loss to Ohio State. At this point, Wisconsin’s two losses came by a combined 5 points; it’s next two came by a combined 63. So a team with genuine Big Ten title hopes had its hopes dashed by the season’s midway point. For those keeping track at home, the Badgers have gone from 12 victories in 2006 – a school record – to nine victories (still respectable) in 2007 to a disappointing seven a season ago. After Bielema’s wonderful start, Barry Alvarez’s hand-picked successor will be under the spotlight in his fourth year with the program. Can he reverse Wisconsin’s recent slide toward mediocrity?
High point: I’m going to go with the three-game winning streak to end the season, and ignore the fact that to secure its bowl eligibility, Wisconsin needed a late touchdown and 2-point conversion and overtime to defeat Cal Poly, 36-35. The Mustangs, a member of the F.C.S., would have won the game if they had not missed three extra points. To be fair, Wisconsin did beat one Top 25 team on the road, then-No. 21 Fresno State (by 13-10); the Bulldogs weren’t that good, however.
Low point: Wisconsin’s slide began with a disheartening 27-25 loss at Michigan on Sept. 27: the Badgers were 3-0 and ranked No. 9 in the nation, but were outscored by 27-6 in the second half to lose to the woeful Wolverines. Three more losses in Big Ten play followed, and the season was over. But the Badgers saved their worst for last: Florida State’s team speed dominated Wisconsin in a 42-13 Champs Sports Bowl victory. In the end, the low point really came before the season even started, when The Times’s Fred Bierman, with no outside advice from a second party, selected Wisconsin to reach a B.C.S. bowl game in our season preview.
Tidbit: As stated, Wisconsin has seen its victory total drop from 12 in 2006 – the most in school history – to nine in 2007 to seven last fall. For an explanation as to why this slide has occurred, look no further than the performance of the Badger defense. In 2006, Wisconsin allowed only 157 points, an average of only 12.1 points per game. That total rose to 23.2 in 2007, an unfortunate drop in productivity but still within the range of a top-50 defense nationally. A season ago, the Badger defense allowed 345 points (as mentioned, the third-highest output in school history), an average of 26.5 per game. The Wisconsin offense has remained relatively strong over this span, though last season’s 27.5 points per game average was the lowest of the Bielema era.
Former players in the N.F.L.: 38 – TE Travis Beckum (Giants), RB Michael Bennett (San Diego Chargers), QB Brooks Bollinger (Dallas Cowboys), OG Dan Buenning (Chicago Bears), RB Brian Calhoun (Detroit Lions), LB Jonathan Casillas (New Orleans Saints), WR Chris Chambers (San Diego Chargers), TE Owen Daniels (Houston Texans), WR Lee Evans (Buffalo Bills), CB Jamar Fletcher (Cincinnati Bengals), LB Nick Greisen (Denver Broncos), DT Nick Hayden (Carolina Panthers), RB P.J. Hill (New Orleans Saints), WR Paul Hubbard (Cleveland Browns), CB Jack Ikegwuonu (Philadelphia Eagles), DT Jason Jefferson (Atlanta Falcons), C Al Johnson (New England Patriots), C Matt Katula (Baltimore Ravens), OG Andy Kemp (Minnesota Vikings), S Jim Leonhard (Jets), LB DeAndre Levy (Detroit Lions), LB Alex Lewis (Detroit Lions), K Taylor Melhoff (Minnesota Vikings), DT Mike Newkirk (St. Louis Rams), TE Jason Pociask (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), FB Chris Pressley (Cincinnati Bengals), C Casey Rabach (Washington Redskins), C Donovan Raiola (Arizona Cardinals), FB Bill Rentmeester (San Diego Chargers), CB Roderick Rogers (Minnesota Vikings), C Mike Schneck (Atlanta Falcons), DE Matt Shaughnessy (Oakland Raiders), QB Jim Sorgi (Indianapolis Colts), CB Scott Starks (Jacksonville Jaguars), OT Mark Tauscher (Green Bay Packers), OT Joe Thomas (Cleveland Browns), OG Kraig Urbik (Pittsburgh Steelers), WR Brandon Williams (Pittsburgh Steelers).
Top five N.F.L. players from Wisconsin: By the way, Wisconsin fans, Michigan received credit for Elroy Hirsch. Also not included on this list is Curly Lambeau, who is as important to the history of the N.F.L. as any other individual; unfortunately, as a coach, not a player. Also receiving consideration were offensive tackle Paul Gruber, kicker Jim Bakken and wide receivers Al Toon and Milt Gantenbein.
1. C Mike Webster (Pittsburgh, Kansas City; 1974-90)
2. FB Alan Ameche (Baltimore; 1955-60)
3. QB Arnie Herber (Green Bay, Giants; 1930-45)
4. CB Troy Vincent (Miami, Phi., Buffalo, Was.; 1992-2006)
5. NT Tim Krumrie (Cincinnati; 1983-94)
Team
Conference: Big Ten.
Head coach: Bret Bielema (Iowa ’92), 28-11 after three seasons with the Badgers. Prior to taking over in 2006, Bielema served two years as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator while Barry Alvarez concluded his sterling 16-year career with the Badgers; over this time, it was acknowledged that Bielema would be the next Badgers head coach when Alvarez chose to step down. He excelled at maintaining – if not building upon – the success of his predecessor, winning 21 games over his first two seasons. Bielema and the Badgers won a school-record 12 games in 2006, making him only the third first-year coach in F.B.S. history to record 12 victories. Bielema followed that by taking Wisconsin to a fourth consecutive New Year’s Day bowl game in 2007 (the previous two came under Alvarez), joining the 1994-95 and 1998-2000 Badgers in participating in back-to-back January bowl games. That streak ended last fall, when Wisconsin failed to live up to its preseason billing with a 7-6 finish. Before going to Madison in 2004, Bielema spent two seasons at Kansas State (co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach), helping the Wildcats post back-to-back 11-win seasons and win a Big 12 title in 2003. Bielema also served as an assistant at Iowa for eight seasons, the last six as the linebackers coach. Each of the last five Bielema-coached teams – either as a head coach or assistant – have played in a January bowl game, including the 2003 Wildcats, who made a B.C.S. appearance after their conference title. He has compiled a 69-23 mark both as an assistant and head coach over the last seven seasons. For the coming season, the onus is on Bielema to prove that Wisconsin is still a Big Ten contender and not on its way toward middle-of-the-pack status.
Returning starters: 11 (6 offense, 5 defense).
Key losses: Wisconsin will face some holes on its offensive line. Three starters have exhausted their eligibility: left guard Andy Kemp, right guard Kraig Urbik and right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel. The names get better and better as you go on. These three combined to make 121 career starts. Kemp, one of the tougher linemen in the Big Ten, was an honorable mention all-conference choice as a senior. Urbik was a two-time all-conference honoree who illustrated good versatility over his four-year career, making starts at both right guard and right tackle. (On a personal note, I had hoped that Urbik would fall to my Redskins in the third round; alas, Pittsburgh swooped in ahead and nabbed him. Who am I kidding, Cerrato wouldn’t have taken him anyway.) The consistent Vanden Heuvel made 35 career starts at both tackle spots. The Badgers also lost running back P.J. Hill a year early to the N.F.L. Hill rushed for 1,161 yards and 13 scores as a junior, giving him 3,943 yards and 42 touchdowns for his career. His breakout season came in 2006, when, as a freshman, he rushed for 1,569 yards and 15 scores; he was only the seventh rookie in F.B.S. history to crack 1,500 yards. His role had diminished somewhat a season ago, partly because of injuries and partly to the development of younger players. The Badgers will miss his tough running style, however. The U.W. defense also faces some issues. Five players from its starting front seven have graduated. On the line, the Badgers lost tackles Jason Chapman (39 tackles, 2 sacks) and Mike Newkirk (59 tackles, 9 for loss, 4 sacks) and end Matt Shaughnessy. Both Newkirk and Shaughnessy earned all-conference accolades as seniors. As a junior, Shaughnessy grabbed 18 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. He was limited somewhat last fall by a leg injury in spring camp. The losses continue at linebacker, where the multiple-year starters DeAndre Levy (73 tackles, 5 sacks) and Jonathan Casillas (62 stops) must be replaced. In the secondary, cornerback Allen Langford’s two interceptions and team-leading 13 pass breakups earned him first-team all-Big Ten honors. Langford was a four-year starter and two-time all-conference performer.
Players to watch: This Badger squad is as talented at the offensive skill positions as any U.W. team in recent memory. At running back, for example, John Clay’s strong freshman campaign has fans dreaming of a 1,500-yard season in 2009. As a rookie, Clay rushed for 884 yards and 9 touchdowns, both totals good for second on the team. He also led the Badgers in averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He put those numbers in 155 carries; I expect Clay to notch at least 200 carries in the coming season. For Clay, redshirting as a true freshman in 2007 paid enormous dividends. He’ll again be backed up by the junior Zach Brown, who rushed for 305 yards as the team’s third-down back a season ago. He’s a more than capable reserve. Wisconsin’s receiver corps may not have the Lee Evans or Chris Chambers type talent, but the group has the potential to go six deep. The junior David Gilreath, a 2008 second-team all-Big Ten selection, is the most accomplished. Last fall, he combined 31 receptions for 520 yards with 285 yards rushing, with most of the latter total coming on a 90-yard touchdown scamper against Indiana. Gilreath is joined at receiver by the sophomore Nick Toon, who caught 14 of his 17 balls over the last five games of 2008, and the juniors Isaac Anderson (21 catches for 286 yards) and Kyle Jefferson (14 for 189). Also figuring into the mix are the senior T.J. Theus and, potentially, the true freshman Kraig Appleton. Wisconsin also has talented pass-catchers at tight end in the senior Garrett Graham (a team-best 40 receptions and 540 yards receiving) and the junior Lance Kendricks. Graham was a first-team all-conference selection a season ago. Kendricks, a former receiver, can stretch the field. At quarterback, Wisconsin has options in the senior Dustin Sherer, who started seven games last fall (going 4-3), and the redshirt freshman Curt Phillips. Sherer was inconsistent last fall, but Wisconsin has a history of receiving strong play from its senior quarterbacks (well, except last fall), so I expect Sherer to retain his starting job. In his defense: Wisconsin averaged 32.2 points and 427.3 yards of total offense per game over the last six games of the regular season, all Sherer starts. Still, the battle won’t be decided until fall camp resumes. Left tackle Gabe Carimi and center John Moffit, both juniors, are the only two full-time starters returning on the U.W. offensive line. This pair will be joined by the sophomore Josh Oglesby at right tackle, Bill Nagy at right guard and Jake Bscherer at left guard. Oglesby, a huge recruit in last year’s cycle, Nagy and Bscherer have each started in the past. I don’t know a lot about this group, but I do know one thing: as a unit, they dig the buffet. The five projected starters weigh in at 1,572 pounds, or roughly three-quarters of a ton. (Quick aside: the loyal reader who can think up the best nickname for this five-man front gets to write a foreign language preview.)
Only two starters among Wisconsin’s front seven are back in 2009. The senior end O’Brien Schofield made 40 tackles (8.5 for loss) and 5 sacks last fall (his sack total led all U.W. linemen), his first year as a starter. Here’s a question: Was his production a result of the increased attention his teammates received from opposing offensive lines? We’ll see in 2009, but Schofield did play well enough a season ago to be a contender for all-conference status. The lone returning starter at linebacker is the senior Jaevery McFadden, who started most of last season at middle linebacker but moves back to the outside for his final season. McFadden is a more natural outside linebacker, so this was a good move. Not that he didn’t produce in the middle; despite playing most of the season with a broken hand, McFadden led the Badgers with 84 tackles. As is the case with Schofield, McFadden will be looked toward for both production and leadership as U.W. breaks in a number of new starters. So the front seven doesn’t look great, at least as of yet. However, the Wisconsin secondary will be good. This unit returns seven players with starting experience, including three full-time starters from 2008. The nicest surprise among last year’s group was the play of strong safety Jay Valai, who went from a backup heading into the season to a second-team all-Big Ten selection. On the season, Valai, a junior, had 56 tackles and a sack. The player he replaced in the starting lineup, the senior Aubrey Pleasant, has been an important reserve and part-time starter over his first three seasons, and will again play a key role off the bench and in certain packages. The seniors Chris Maragos (45 tackles) and Shane Carter (37 tackles, 2 interceptions) will again battle for snaps at strong safety. The Badgers need more consistency at this spot. The junior Niles Brinkley has a leg up to retain the starting cornerback job he held for seven games last fall, but he’ll need to hold off the sophomore Devin Smith to do so. Even while starting roughly half of Wisconsin’s games, Brinkley led the team with four interceptions. The second corner spot will be manned by Aaron Henry, who is back at full health after an A.C.L. tear forced him to redshirt last season. As a true freshman in 2007, Henry made 38 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception. If he’s healthy, and suffers no drop-off in speed, Henry can be a shutdown corner.
Position(s) to watch: A massive position battle to watch section. Two for the price of one: the defensive line and the linebacker corps. Each unit returns only a single starter, making the Wisconsin front seven a questionable area heading into 2009. The lone returning starter on the line is Schofield, who put up pretty good numbers for a first-year starter. But now he’ll become the main guy instead of a complementary piece, and he will inherit the need for production and leadership that comes along with such a responsibility. The interior of the U.W. line will be manned by a pair of seniors, Jeff Stehle and Dan Moore. Stehle has been an important reserve over the past two seasons, while Moore, a JUCO transfer, has the ability to play either tackle or end. For argument’s sake, if Moore does end up moving outside to end – where he’d compete with the sophomore J.J. Watt, a Central Michigan transfer, for playing time – the battle for the second starting tackle job would come down to the sophomore Patrick Butrym and the senior Dan Cascone. On to linebacker. We know the Badgers bring back McFadden on the outside: who will join him? Culmer St. Jean – great name – will get first crack in the middle after making three starts there last fall, including the bowl loss to Florida State (take that off the résumé). He had 23 tackles and an interception. Other options at middle linebacker are the redshirt freshman Leonard Hubbard and the sophomore Kevin Rouse. The Badgers are giving the junior Blake Sorensen a long look at the second outside spot, though the team must also like the speed and athleticism the redshirt freshman Mike Taylor will bring to the job.
2009 schedule:
Sept. 5 Northern Illinois
Sept. 12 Fresno State
Sept. 19 Wofford
Sept. 26 Michigan State
Oct. 3 @ Minnesota
Oct. 10 @ Ohio State
Oct. 17 Iowa
Oct. 31 Purdue
Nov. 7 @ Indiana
Nov. 14 Michigan
Nov. 21 @ Northwestern
Dec. 5 @ Hawaii
Game(s) to watch: I have the Badgers trailing Penn State and Ohio State, the Big Ten’s two top teams, but games with Iowa and Michigan State will go far toward determining how the rest of the conference shakes up.
Season breakdown & prediction: This is a big season for Wisconsin and, in extension, its head coach. The struggles the team went through last fall were troubling, especially on defense. That side of the ball must replace five starters; new blood is often a good thing, but it will be difficult to reverse the team’s recent statistical slide while breaking in six new contributors. Now, the good news is that I believe the Wisconsin offense will be better than it was a season ago, even with the losses up front. Sherer will be improved, if only because the Badgers have supplied him with a number of weapons in the passing game to work with. Yes, three new starters must be found on the offensive line. This is an issue, but take note: Wisconsin has not rushed for fewer than 160 yards per game in any season since 2002. With Clay taking over, I don’t see this team losing much production off its rushing total from a season ago. No, I’m not crazy about the Badgers, but I think U.W. will easily match last season’s win total of seven and potentially upend Michigan State, Iowa or Illinois for the third spot in the Big Ten behind Penn State and Ohio State.
Dream season: The Badgers rebound from last fall’s disappointment to finish 10-2, 6-2 in the Big Ten, and play in their third January bowl game in four years.
Nightmare season: Wisconsin continues to regress: 5-7, 2-6 in the Big Ten.
Where do Wisconsin fans congregate? Wisconsin fans gather at BadgerNation.com and BadgerBlitz.com to follow recruiting and gang up on the odd Iowa and Minnesota fan courageous enough to venture on the message boards and talk trash. Another option is Buckyville.com, Wisconsin’s lone independent fan site (to the best of my knowledge). For a blog’s view, check out Badger Beat.
Who is No. 40? The name of our next university’s marching band is strikingly similar to the nickname of a team from Conference USA.
